He recently made the Forbes 30 under 30 list of most influential entrepreneurs.
And reality star Tommy Mallet from The Only Way Is Essex has opened up about where be found his ‘hunger for money’, despite being told by his father that he would ‘never be anyone’ and was destined to live life ‘skint’.
The fashion mogul, 28, who has made millions of pounds through his successful footwear company, Mallet London, appeared with his pregnant fiancée Georgia Kousoulou on an episode of TOWIE: The Story Of… on IGTV on Tuesday night.
Taste of success: Tommy Mallet from The Only Way Is Essex revealed he used to sell sweets and drinks at school on an episode of TOWIE: The Story Of… on IGTV on Tuesday night
In the eight-minute video, the couple shared stories about growing up, their first jobs and their personal lives before finding fame on the ITV reality programme.
Speaking about his time at school, which showed an early insight into his entrepreneurial spirit, Tommy said: ‘I went to an all-boys Catholic school in Holloway, North London.
‘I went to two different schools because I moved to Essex in Year 8 or 9.
‘I didn’t like listening to teachers, I like to do things my own way – so I got through school selling drinks, sweets and cookies.’
Proud: The fashion mogul, 28, has made millions of pounds through his footwear company, Mallet London and recently made the Forbes 30 under 30 list of most influential entrepreneurs
Pushing him: The entrepreneur, who left school due to dyslexia with no qualifications, said he promised his father during an argument that he would be a ‘millionaire’ by the time he was 30
The entrepreneur, who left school due to dyslexia with no qualifications, said he promised his father during an argument that he would be a ‘millionaire’ by the time he was 30, but was met with disbelief.
He recalled: ‘My dad told me when I left school that I was never going to be anyone, and I was going to be skint because I didn’t have any grades.
‘So I told him, in McDonalds car park, when he was shouting at me, that I don’t need him, and I’ll be a millionaire by the time I’m 30.
Hungry: The footwear millionaire admitted that it was his three years working as a carpenter that gave him his ‘hunger for money’
Fame: He appeared with his pregnant fiancée Georgia Kousoulou as the couple shared stories about growing up and their personal lives before finding fame on the ITV reality programme
‘Off the back of that, I got pushed into being an architect but I was the worst one you’ve ever met in your life because I didn’t know algebra.’
However, the footwear millionaire admitted that it was his three years working as a carpenter that gave him his ‘hunger for money’.
He said: ‘I went to college with [TOWIE star] Charlie Sims, we both bunked college together and ended up being a down and out, and then I ended up being a labourer and that’s where I found my hunger for money.’
Exciting: Tommy is set to become a father as he prepares to welcome his first child with Georgia, 29, in May
Tommy is now set to become a father as he prepares to welcome his first child with Georgia, 29, in May.
His proud fiancée celebrated her beau’s achievement of being featured on the Forbes 30 under 30 list of most influential entrepreneurs last month.
Tommy shared a screenshot from Forbes website on his social media and wrote: ‘Honoured to be chosen for the Forbes 30 under 30 list!! FORBES LIST YOU KNOW Thank you, Forbes.’
The mum-to-be congratulated her partner on his success, saying on his Instagram post: ‘How lucky is our baby, he has you teaching him and showing him the world.’
‘Honoured’: The entrepreneur shared a screenshot from Forbes website on his Instagram in April to annouce the news as his proud fiancée celebrated her beau’s achievement
The fashion mogul’s brand, which is now thought to be worth £2.5million, earned him a place on the business magazine’s annual ’30 Under 30′ list for Europe in the retail and ecommerce category.
His successful designer footwear company, Mallet London has already made £11.8m in sales as of 2020 – with celebrity fans across the world including Drake, Olly Murs, and Will.i.am.
The huge success of the brand makes Mr Mallet one of TOWIE’s wealthiest exports, with Mallet London shoes and clothing now stocked in more than 150 stores around the world.
His trainers are known for their signature metallic heel clips and sell for about £175, while the children’s shoes cost around £135.
Designer: His brand Mallet London shoes are known for their signature metallic heel clips (pictured) and have already made £11.8m in sales as of 2020